Figure 3
The survival times (time to lean body mass) without food of pygmy-possums (Cercartetus nanus) held at three ambient temperatures (Ta). Means with SE for n = 5 individuals at each Ta are shown. Survival times differed significantly among the three groups (F2,12 = 18.52; p < 0.001). Mean survival times were a linear function of Ta: y = 390.3–12.34 x; r2 = 0.99. The mean survival time without food of other hibernators (3 species at a mean body mass of 50 g17) at the mean minimum Tb of hibernators (HIB blue dot) and the mean survival time at the mean Tb of mammalian daily heterotherms (DH red dot) are shown for comparison (Tb data from6; survival times of daily heterotherms were for 4 species (Apus apus juvenile, Sminthopsis crassicaudata, Dasycercus cristicauda, Peromyscus maniculatus bairdi) at a mean body mass of 48 g from33,44,45). The minimum Tb is shown on the Ta axis because the Tb − Ta differential is small during steady-state torpor.
